Developments in Sri Lanka

The information below is based on the 2009 report of the Secretary General to the Security Council (A/63/785-S/2009/158) issued on 26 March 2009. More information is available in the report.

The majority of the child recruitment by LTTE (64 per cent boys and 36 per cent girls) occurred in the Vanni. The capacity in the Vanni to monitor and receive reports of recruitment of children was reduced steadily in the reporting period owing to limited access allowed to the United Nations, increased insecurity and the requirement that international and national humanitarian agencies leave the Vanni on 16 September 2008 and relocate to Vavuniya as a result of the intensification of the conflict. Threats by LTTE against families wishing to report have also been a significant factor. Although data collection has been severely hampered prior to their relocation, UNICEF was able to verify a total of 19 children released by LTTE and 9 children who had escaped and returned to their families. In February 2009, the United Nations reported that there are clear indications that LTTE has intensified forcible recruitment of civilians and that children as young as 14 years old are being targeted.

The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), a former breakaway faction of LTTE, became a registered political party on 24 January 2008. It signed an action plan with the Government of Sri Lanka and UNICEF on 1 December 2008, agreeing to commence the release of children for rehabilitation and reintegration. Efforts are under way and the United Nations awaits the full and timely implementation of the action plan. This was seen as an important undertaking by TMVP.

The Government has made significant initiatives to support its obligations towards children leaving armed groups. The Office of the Commissioner General for Rehabilitation undertook five specific initiatives in the reporting period: the establishment of the Ambepusse Centre for the rehabilitation of children leaving armed groups; the development and signing of a memorandum of understanding with UNICEF clarifying roles and responsibilities in relation to the prevention, release, care, protection and reintegration of children associated with armed groups; the drafting of an Emergency Regulation for the provision of rehabilitation services for children leaving armed groups; the development of a public awareness campaign against child recruitment; and the facilitation of the action plan with TMVP and UNICEF.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka recorded 102 incidents of child abduction in the reporting period, with 54 children abducted in Batticaloa alone.

Reports indicate that, as at the end of December 2008, children had been killed and injured. The causes included aerial bombardment by the Sri Lankan Air Force and children being caught in crossfire and shelling between the Sri Lankan Army and LTTE. Children were also victims of claymore mine attacks.

The physical security of children trapped in increasingly small areas where intense fighting is taking place and in other conflict affected areas has become a critical protection concern. LTTE was carrying out operations, including artillery fire from civilian areas, placing them at risk. The Government also continued aerial bombardment and long-range artillery fire. The full scale of child rights violations is not known due to access impediments.

As a result of the intensification of military operations in LTTE-controlled areas of the Vanni at the end of 2008, and restrictive procedures imposed by the Government for the transportation of essential goods to the Vanni allegedly owing to security concerns, including medical supplies, therapeutic food to treat malnourished children and shelter materials, children displaced by the conflict have been adversely affected. The United Nations has been engaged in ongoing advocacy with the Government and LTTE for increased access to the Vanni, but that became more difficult as the conflict intensified. Additional impediments to humanitarian access included LTTE preventing civilians, including children and United Nations national staff and their dependants, from leaving the Vanni to Government-held territory.

Parties responsible for recruitment and use of children

  1. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE):* this party has also been responsible for killing and maiming and the denial of humanitarian access to children in the reporting period. Status: Action plan does not meet minimum standards. LTTE developed an action plan on 15 October 2007. However, it does not meet minimum prerequisites, including but not limited to allowing full access to the United Nations country team for verification, formalizing principles and time-bound measures for the safe release of children, and accountability mechanisms and mechanisms for preventing re-recruitment. Also, the action plan was not signed by the parties. Any small progress made was not maintained and, as of April 2008, only 17 children have been verified as released. There has been no consistent dialogue with LTTE to review its commitments since the relocation of the United Nations in September 2008 from the Vanni.
  2. Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) (former Karuna faction): this party has also been responsible for the abduction of children in the reporting period. Status: Action plan signed on 1 December 2008 between TMVP, the Government of Sri Lanka and UNICEF. The action plan lays out a three-month process by which TMVP should stop the recruitment of children and release all children in its ranks.

Parties marked with an asterisk (*) have been on the annex lists for a minimum of four years.

Press Release by the Special Representative: